


We're in this (game) together

by MyTrashyWriting



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Homesick Lance (Voltron), M/M, Pidge is Satan, and it takes a kind of unexpected turn from the whole homesickness thing, caring keith, how the pining started
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-07
Updated: 2017-04-07
Packaged: 2018-10-16 01:53:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,950
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10561418
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MyTrashyWriting/pseuds/MyTrashyWriting
Summary: One night Keith stumbles upon homesick Lance talking to the mice.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know how it happened but it was supposed to be much shorter, under 1000 words. But it turned to be almost 3000. I planned only the scene on the training deck but then I kept adding and adding and here we are now.  
> Similarly to my [previous Klance](http://archiveofourown.org/works/9811856), [Bonobo's _Surface_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXFACkeUW_I) was a big inspiration. Only for the part on the training deck, though. Later I switched to Josef Salvat, especially _Open Season_ ([English](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXiMS5XW6kA) and [French](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1yS8sDj9v4)) and _Paradise_ (also both [English](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQfYmvzBXqU) and [French](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hReZbFqvEU) versions).
> 
> Btw - I _really_ wanted to do something for Klangst week but...

“ - the upside is that you’re still together, right?” Keith heard Lance’s voice when he came back to the training deck, searching for his forgotten jacket. “I know that my family should be fine but I’m not sure if I ever see them again. And _they_ don’t even know if _I_ am alive,” Keith knitted his brows - no-one was answering Lance and it seemed as if he was talking to himself. What’s more, he was sitting on the floor, tightly wrapped in a blanket. “I really want to go home,” Lance added softly.

“Ha-have you seen my jacket?” Keith asked from afar, not sure how to approach Lance.

“Do you want to kill me?” Lance jumped up to his feet, clutching at his heart.

“No?”

“Then don’t surprise me like that,” he fumed. “And yeah, your jacket is here. The mice are using it now, though,” Lance pointed with his finger to the floor, where all four animals made themselves comfortable on the red material.

“Oh, so you were talking to them,” Keith commented quietly, making Lance gasp.

“How much-?!” Lance asked, jabbing his finger into Keith’s chest.

“How much what?”

“How long were you eavesdropping?”

“I wasn’t? I mean, yeah, I’ve heard some things, that you want to see your family for example, but it was by accident,” Keith answered, surprised by Lance’s reaction.

“This is the worst,” Lance huffed and sat on the floor again. He fumbled with the blanket a bit, so it also covered his head.

“Um… Are you… ok?” Keith asked hesitantly.

“This is pathetic, Keith is pitying me,” Lance grumbled to himself. “I’m feelin peachy! Go away,” he turned to Keith, forced smile on his face. 

“I came for my jacket, though,” Keith answered and sat beside Lance, reaching with his hand to pet one of the mice. “Shouldn’t you - “ he started, not looking at Lance, “ - go to Hunk?”

“Huh? Why?”

“I don’t know. To talk? Or something? So you would feel better,” Keith sounded genuinely concerned and that stopped Lance from blowing up at him completely.

“Are you stupid? I can’t bother Hunk all the time. He’s in the same situation. And it’s not like I have it the worst, right? Pidge doesn’t know if her father and brother are alive. Shiro was fighting in the arena and got experimented on. Coran and Allura don’t even have a home anymore! And I’m just…” Lance paused, also reaching to pet the mice, “ - I’m _just_ homesick.”

“It doesn’t mean that your feelings are any less valid. Others also have it bad, some of them might have it worse but, in the end, only your feelings are… yours,” Keith waved his hand around. “I can’t really relate to what you feel, since I… was alone for years and there’s no-one left on Earth that I care about. But I can understand that it’s not easy being here. Because this is my reality too. We’re in this together. So you’re not alone,” Keith turned towards Lance. He flinched, when he realised that Lance was staring at him, small tears in the corners of his blue eyes.

“What the hell, Keith?” he whispered almost inaudibly, quickly turning away and rubbing his eyes.

Seeing Lance like this, quiet and vulnerable, not loud and cocky, was something unusual. And it made Keith feel as if something snapped inside of him. He slowly shifted, so he wasn’t sitting beside Lance but behind him:

“Give me this for a second,” Keith said quietly, lightly tugging at Lance’s blanket. Surprisingly, Lance didn’t protest.

Keith put the blanket away for a moment and scooted even closer to Lance. When the other was sitting between his legs, Keith wrapped both of them in the blanket and hugged Lance from behind.

“What-? Why-?” Lance stuttered, stiffening in Keith’s arms.

“It’s weird when you’re like this,” Keith answered quietly, pulling Lance against his chest and leaning his chin on Lance’s shoulder.

“You’re the one who’s weird,” Lance mumbled, trying to sound annoyed. Nevertheless, he grabbed Keith’s hand and squeezed it lightly. “Thanks, though,” he whispered, slowly relaxing.

Keith wasn’t sure how long they were sitting there. They weren’t talking, so the flow of time was even more unnoticable. Maybe only few minutes have passed. Maybe much more. Keith didn’t know. But there was one thing he definitely knew - that, despite their, slightly weird, not the most comfortable position, Lance fell asleep.

Although Keith was tense himself, he could feel how Lance was gradually relaxing in his arms. He also had the impression that Lance’s hand was steadily becoming warmer and warmer. Keith didn’t really want to admit it but it was a pleasant feeling. That’s why, when Lance’s hand slipped down after he fell asleep, Keith grabbed it himself, lightly rubbing the tan palm with his fingers. He was surprised how soft, especially compared to his own, rough hands, Lance’s skin was.

Instead of absentmindedly staring at the empty space in front of them, Keith shifted his gaze to look at Lance’s face. He was struck by the sudden urge to touch it, to check if it was as soft, or maybe even softer, than his hand. Keith flinched, when he realised what he wanted to do.

“This is bad,” he whispered, trying to ignore the weird feeling bubbling in his chest. He couldn’t allow himself to think that being like this with Lance actually felt good. It would complicate their, already rocky, relationship even more.

When Keith started to feel drowsy himself, he decided that it was high time to leave the training deck. If they were going to sleep, they should do it in their beds or else they would be aching all over the next day.

“Hey, Lance, wake up,” Keith slightly shook him.

“Five more minutes,” Lance mumbled, snuggling into Keith.

“Lance, please,” Keith tried again, feeling the heat rising in his face.

“Don’t wanna, it’s warm,” half-asleep Lance shifted slightly, leaning his cheek against Keith’s shoulder. The other stiffened again when Lance’s breath tickled his neck.

“This is gonna end in a disaster if someone sees us,” Keith said quietly. He took a deep breath and then slowly stood up, picking Lance up.

*

“Hunk, you won’t believe it but our self-proclaimed Prince Charming just got carried princess style,” Pidge bursted into Hunk’s room, waking him up.

“What?” he asked sleepily, rubbing his eyes.

“By his arch-nemesis to boot! This is hilarious.”

“What the hell, Pidge?” Hunk sat up, completely awake now. “When was the last time you slept?”

“Hear me out and then judge. So here’s the thing - I was tinkering with some stuff in Green’s hangar-”

“Like always,” Hunk interrupted.

“Yes, like always. Anyway - I lost the track of time and-”

“Like always,” Hunk repeated with a chuckle.

“Hunk, please, if you don’t want to hear the whole story, then say so.”

“I’m sorry, continue, please,” he smiled apologetically at Pidge, trying to counter and soothe her angry glare.

“Ok. So when I decided it was high time I got some sleep and was walking near the training deck, I’ve heard the door open. My instincts told me to hide and it was a great decision to listen to them. So yeah, the door to the training deck open and out comes Keith. Carrying Lance! Princess style! Or bridal style, however you want to call it.”

“No way, I don’t believe you. Lance would kill Keith and then himself if something like this happened,” Hunk shook his head. “Are you sure it wasn’t a dream?”

“Traitor!” Pidge gasped. “That was my first thought too, though. But when I looked closer, Lance was like… unconscious? So I thought that maybe they were sparring in the middle of the night, blowing some steam or whatever. They are idiots after all. I mean, Lance isn't exactly stupid but he definitely behaves as if he was. Anyway, back to the topic because I’m starting to digress, I thought that Keith knocked Lance out or something. But when they walked past me I’ve noticed that they weren’t looking as if they were fighting. Keith looked sleepy and Lance was actually asleep. Keith even had a blanket draped over his shoulders! Hunk! Sleepy! Asleep! Blanket! The two of them! Alone!”

“This is surreal.”

“Definitely. But it’s not everything yet! I followed them, they went into Lance’s room. I was waiting for good ten minutes but Keith hasn’t come out? Like… what the hell? Maybe I _am_ sleep deprived? Maybe I _hallucinated_ the whole thing?” there was a flash of panic on Pidge’s face.

“You’re good, don’t worry. But getting some sleep would be a wise idea in your case, anyway. Go to bed. I still don't completely believe you, though. But if it is true, then someone is going to die soon. Either from embarrassment or Lance is going to get ballistic and becomes murderer. Or maybe it would be Keith? If, you know, Lance _forgets their bonding moment again_.”

*

Just like Pidge saw, Lance was carried by Keith all the way to his room. What’s more, he was unconsciously holding onto Keith, almost desperately craving the warmth of another person. And that was probably the reason why, when Keith finally laid him in his bed, Lance wasn’t eager to let go of him. And Keith, too tired and too flustered himself, decided to lie down beside him.

At first, Keith felt weird. Seemingly, it wasn’t that much different from what they’ve been doing moments before on the training deck. The biggest change was that they weren’t in the neutral space but in Lance’s room, in Lance’s _bed_. And it was enough to completely change the atmosphere. Keith was slowly starting to overthink the entire situation and he simply short-circuited, when Lance snuggled into him yet again. Luckily for Keith, his fatigue took over and, soon enough, he also fell asleep, his arm loosely wrapped around Lance’s waist.

*

“Have you seen Keith?” Shiro asked during breakfast. Both Keith and Lance were absent but it wasn’t unusual for the latter to sleep in if he had a chance to. “He’s neither in his room nor at any other place where you can usually find him.”

“Holy shit, Hunk,” Pidge whispered, her eyes shining mischievously. “I wasn’t hallucinating?”

“No, this is impossible, Pidge, no way.”

“What?” Shiro raised his brow at both of them.

“Ok, so here’s the thing - yesterday-” Pidge started but was interrupted by Keith entering the room. Both Pidge and Hunk were watching him like hawks, searching for any signs of what might have happened during the night.

“Where were you?” Shiro asked. “I’ve been searching for you.”

“In my room?” Keith answered, running a hand through his hair.

“Eh? No. I checked you room. And it was empty,” Shiro tilted his head to the side, confused.

“I came here straight from my room, Shiro,” Keith said slowly, his face getting red. He wasn’t looking at Shiro. Or any of them for that matter.

“Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy,” Hunk repeated quietly at the sight. Now, he believed everything that Pidge said she saw.

Before any of them could say or do anything more, Lance came inside too. 

“Ugh, first thing I see in the morning and it’s this stupid mullet,” he grumbled dramatically.

“Oh yeah, it definitely was the first thing,” Pidge teased.

“Huh?” Lance knitted his brows.

“So has the Sleeping Beauty got woken up with a kiss?”

Keith whined at Pidge’s question, getting unbelievably red. On the other hand, Lance quietly gaped at her but composed himself pretty fast:

“The only Sleeping Beauty in this Castle is Allura and, sadly, she woke up by herself not by Prince’s, namely - mine, kiss. Ah, I’m so heartbroken that I completely lost my appetite,” he dramatically touched his forehead with the tips of his fingers. “See you later, guys,” he stormed out of the room.

“I knew it’s gonna end up like this,” Keith mumbled, helplessly plopping on the chair and hiding his red face in his hands.

“What happened?” Shiro asked, his confused gaze going back and forth from Keith to Pidge.

“I thought that Keith has more game than you, Shiro - ” Pidge glanced teasingly at Allura, “ - but I guess I was mistaken.”

“Something? Happened? With Keith and Lance?” Shiro asked, still confused.

“Please, don’t,” Keith said softly, leaning his forehead against the table.

“What is a Sleeping Beauty? Some Earth thing?” Allura asked curiously, changing the topic. Keith almost thanked her out loud.

At the very same moment, Lance was screaming into his pillow. He cursed his earlier embarrassment, he hadn’t thought that it might have been better to talk, to come up with some sort of a strategy with Keith. Because, if Pidge knew, they were in for the ultimate torture.

After he calmed down slightly, Lance noticed faint, unfamiliar, but definitely not unknown, scent on his pillow. It made him remember what happened not even an hour ago.

*

When Lance woke up, he was unusually warm. He marveled at how pleasant it felt and it took him few moments to realise that he wasn’t alone in his bed. What’s more, the one right beside him, hugging him and being hugged by him, was _Keith_. Immediately, memories of the previous night came back to him and Lance groaned, feeling more and more embarrassed. He didn’t have the slightest idea how to deal with the situation. So, when Keith stirred, waking up, Lance pretended to be still asleep.

“Shit,” he heard Keith whisper under his breath. “He hasn’t woken up yet?” Keith continued quietly. “Maybe he will let go of me now. I need to get out, this is too much, he’s going to kill me, even though it’s all his fault,” Keith shifted, cautiously trying to wriggle out of Lance’s hold.

Lance felt offended at his words but the embarrassment won. He let Keith slip out easily and, moments later, he was alone.

“I’m never going to bring this up with him. And I _am_ going to kill him if he does so.”

*

“Ok, I admit, that was a bad decision. But who could have known that Pidge knew? How she even came to know?!” Lance sat up. “I don’t really want to but I need to talk-”

“Lance, are you here?” he heard Keith from behind the door. Sighing deeply, Lance got up to meet him.

“What?”

“We… I think that we need to… talk.”

“I don’t want to but I have to agree with you,” Lance sighed again and moved a bit, letting Keith in. Just to be sure, he peeked outside to see if someone, namely - Pidge, was following Keith.

There was a long, awkward silence between them, until Lance finally spoke:

“I’d rather remain oblivious but in these circumstances I need to know what happened. I mean, I fell asleep on the training deck but woke up here…” he plopped on his bed.

“I tried to wake you up but it wasn’t working. I didn’t want to leave you sleeping on the floor so I… carried you…” Keith was standing in front of Lance, leaning against the wall and looking everywhere but at Lance. “I guess Pidge saw that.”

“No…” Lance whined, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “Ok, listen, because I’m going to say it only once,” he looked at Keith with determination.

“Ye-yeah?”

“I’m sorry, it was mostly my fault. And also - thank you. For, you know…” he trailed off, waving his hand around. “Now we have to decide how to deal with them. Pidge mostly. I guess. She’s going to have a field trip with teasing the hell out of us.”

“She already is…”

“Yeah… I think that the best thing would be to play along? Until she gets tired of it.”

“Play along? Lance, you know that I won’t be able to do this.”

“Ah... Yeah,” Lance leaned back, so he was lying on the bed. He hummed quietly for a while, thinking. “In your case maybe ‘yeah, you’re right, whatever’ approach would be better? Play your I’m-so-cool-and-don’t-care card with her and it should be fine,” he shrugged.

“You always make everything sound so easy.”

“Fake it ‘till you make it,” Lance waved his hand around one more time and then groaned, realising what, and to whom, he just said. “Anyway - “ he sat up and looked at Keith again, “ - we’re in this together and that’s the plan. Deal?”

“Deal,” Keith agreed, nodding his head.

“So the talk is over. Now go away. Or Pidge’s gonna get even more ideas,” Lance shooed Keith out of his room. When he was alone again, Lance fell face-first on his bed.

“I need to change my sheets,” he grumbled. “Why the hell it smells so much like him after just one night? And it actually doesn’t _stink_ ,” he rolled around, so he could lie on his back.

After a moment of simply staring at the wall in silence, Lance groaned again. He desperately tried to not think about how thankful he was that Keith hasn’t brought up the fact that they slept together. Though it wasn’t the thought that he wanted to push to the back of his mind the most. Because, the thing that he was grateful the most for was how Keith comforted him on the training deck. And he didn’t want to admit how good it felt to cuddle with Keith or that he definitely wouldn’t mind doing it again. Or that the additional scent on his sheets wasn't so bad either.

Lance hasn’t realised yet, that his biggest problem at the moment definitely wasn’t Pidge and her teasing. He also wasn’t aware that, in the room right next to his, Keith was having similar thoughts.

**Author's Note:**

> Also on [tumblr](http://my-trashy-writing.tumblr.com/post/159308143921/one-night-keith-stumbles-upon-homesick-lance).


End file.
